Thursday, July 26, 2007
Seven Year Wait
I just got back from the Canucks season ticket seat relocation event which reminded me of Behind The Jersey's post on each team's season ticket waiting list. For Canucks fans, there's good news and bad news. That is, the news is good if you've already got season tickets; it's bad if you don't.
The Canucks, of course, have already capped their season ticket base at 17,000 full season and season ticket equivalentx (i.e. half-season and ice-pak packages). At the event, one of the account reps mentioned that their renewal rate this season was a record 97%-plus; last season after missing the playoffs, the renewal rate was about the same. This means that during this off-season and last's, only 3%-ish of the people on the waiting list are (were) able to purchase some sort of ticket package. With a waiting list that is now 7,000 names long, he estimated that the wait list could be anywhere from five to seven years long.
Wow. Just wow.
It wasn't that long ago that the Canucks were losing on the ice and in the box office. Heck, I remember working at GM Place and there would be an announced crowd of 13,000 for a Saturday night game. Obviously, this team's come a long way since then.
Wow. Just wow.
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
The Canucks, of course, have already capped their season ticket base at 17,000 full season and season ticket equivalentx (i.e. half-season and ice-pak packages). At the event, one of the account reps mentioned that their renewal rate this season was a record 97%-plus; last season after missing the playoffs, the renewal rate was about the same. This means that during this off-season and last's, only 3%-ish of the people on the waiting list are (were) able to purchase some sort of ticket package. With a waiting list that is now 7,000 names long, he estimated that the wait list could be anywhere from five to seven years long.
Wow. Just wow.
It wasn't that long ago that the Canucks were losing on the ice and in the box office. Heck, I remember working at GM Place and there would be an announced crowd of 13,000 for a Saturday night game. Obviously, this team's come a long way since then.
Wow. Just wow.
______________
Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Labels: business
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
The New Canucks Logo?
A reader sent me an email last night asking me what I thought of the new Canucks logo and attached this image:
My first thought of course was, what new logo? This looks like the current one. *bada-bing*
Now, I know as much as you about what the new logo is going to look like - that is, nothing. The Canucks have simply mentioned that it is being released prior to training camp, which I suppose means anytime between now and September. Like you, I have to wait until they release it to see it.
That said... At the Canucks State of the Franchise that John and I attended, Chris Zimmerman described the new logo as an evolution from the old logo and that the Orca was still going to be a part of it. He also mentioned that he didn't want to seem like the logo change was a money grab. Those statements suggest that the change wasn't going to be a major one, but perhaps more of a change to fit the new, form-fitting RBK jerseys.
This logo - real or not - fits this description.
If this is the new logo, I like it. While the Orca remains the primary mark, it's a much simpler Orca. I like the blue and silver - the Canucks have already changed their website to these colors - and I can certainly see how it will look on the RBK jerseys. In all honesty, I was hoping that they would go back to the vintage stick and rink jersey, but overall this isn't a bad change.
And the $64,000 question - is this the new Canucks logo? I guess we'll all find out together soon enough.
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
My first thought of course was, what new logo? This looks like the current one. *bada-bing*
Now, I know as much as you about what the new logo is going to look like - that is, nothing. The Canucks have simply mentioned that it is being released prior to training camp, which I suppose means anytime between now and September. Like you, I have to wait until they release it to see it.
That said... At the Canucks State of the Franchise that John and I attended, Chris Zimmerman described the new logo as an evolution from the old logo and that the Orca was still going to be a part of it. He also mentioned that he didn't want to seem like the logo change was a money grab. Those statements suggest that the change wasn't going to be a major one, but perhaps more of a change to fit the new, form-fitting RBK jerseys.
This logo - real or not - fits this description.
If this is the new logo, I like it. While the Orca remains the primary mark, it's a much simpler Orca. I like the blue and silver - the Canucks have already changed their website to these colors - and I can certainly see how it will look on the RBK jerseys. In all honesty, I was hoping that they would go back to the vintage stick and rink jersey, but overall this isn't a bad change.
And the $64,000 question - is this the new Canucks logo? I guess we'll all find out together soon enough.
______________
Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Labels: logo
Monday, July 23, 2007
Canucks Blogger Wanted
Things have been quiet in Canuckland, but thanks to Rebecca, fellow The Crazy Canucks podcaster and the brains and beauty behind miss604.com, for pointing out this cool, new contest:
Good on them.
Especially in a market that is filled with Canucks coverage from the mainstream media, it's refreshing to see the team encourage fans to blog and share their thoughts from a fan's perspective.
Best of luck to everyone who gives 'er a go.
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Do you have what it takes to be the next Canucks.com blogger? We're looking for a new blogger for the 2007-08 season and it could be you.Alongside others, I had the opportunity to submit some blog entries for canucks.com last season and I had a blast. (I didn't get press passes, but it did open up an opportunity for The Crazy Canucks to podcast the team's open practice.) While they also had an intern who blogged for them full-time, it looks like they are going to the masses - the fans who truly do love this team - to fill that role this season.
We'll choose the quarter-finalists but you choose the winner. Over the next month, we're going to let visitors of CDC vote for their favourite bloggers.
Send in your submissions and see if you'll be the next featured Canucks blogger.
The Canucks.com blogger is a voluntary position with compensation based on performance. The blogger should be knowledgeable of hockey and the Canucks with good writing skills.
Good on them.
Especially in a market that is filled with Canucks coverage from the mainstream media, it's refreshing to see the team encourage fans to blog and share their thoughts from a fan's perspective.
Best of luck to everyone who gives 'er a go.
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Labels: canucks.com
Monday, July 09, 2007
A Quick Study
It's been a busy couple of weeks for Dave Nonis as he worked hard to shore up the Canucks roster for the '07-'08 season. Last week, he added some goaltending depth, signing Curtis Sanford to a one-year deal and top prospect Cory Schneider to his first pro contract (Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun).
Especially compared to the recent follies in Edmonton and Buffalo, Dave Nonis continues to impress me. He obviously learned from the Ryan Kesler fiasco last year, and hence, the Krajicek and Bieksa deals. Combine that with the earlier Pyatt and Kesler re-signings (and how much they were for) and I can't help but gain an appreciation for how good Nonis has managed the team within the cap system.
Think of it this way, barring any movement, the Canucks' top-six defensemen, which in my opinion is as good a group as any in the league, will make a combined $13.625 million this season. And they're signed for just slightly more money for next season as well.
Except for a Trevor Linden re-signing or perhaps a rookie making the team out of training camp, the roster is pretty much set. In fact, the only other glaring need on the team is another scoring winger and Nonis still has a couple of months to find one.
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Sanford, 27, signed for one year at $600,000 and will take Dany Sabourin's place on the end of the bench for all but a handful of games (all figures are in U.S. dollars).Then in separate deals, he signed Byron Ritchie and Brad Isbister to one-year contracts (Ben Kuzma, Vancouver Province).
Schneider, 21, agreed to a three-year entry level contract that will see him earn $924,200 at the NHL level and $70,000 in Manitoba, where he will be the go-to guy for the American Hockey League's Moose.
In Isbister, the Canucks get a 6-foot-4, 227-pound left-winger who doesn't always play to his size and takes too many nights off. In Ritchie, the Canucks get an undersized centre who has often irritated the opposition, but hasn't put up the offensive numbers.Finally, he solidified the defense core and rewarded Lukas Krajicek with a new two-year deal, extended Kevin Bieksa's contract for another three years, and added veteran Aaron Miller to the mix.
What does this all mean?
A big gamble that Isbister ($525,000 US) and Ritchie ($675,000) will give coach Alain Vigneault some needed fourth-line muscle and grit for anticipated physical encounters against Calgary, Anaheim and San Jose.
Especially compared to the recent follies in Edmonton and Buffalo, Dave Nonis continues to impress me. He obviously learned from the Ryan Kesler fiasco last year, and hence, the Krajicek and Bieksa deals. Combine that with the earlier Pyatt and Kesler re-signings (and how much they were for) and I can't help but gain an appreciation for how good Nonis has managed the team within the cap system.
Think of it this way, barring any movement, the Canucks' top-six defensemen, which in my opinion is as good a group as any in the league, will make a combined $13.625 million this season. And they're signed for just slightly more money for next season as well.
Except for a Trevor Linden re-signing or perhaps a rookie making the team out of training camp, the roster is pretty much set. In fact, the only other glaring need on the team is another scoring winger and Nonis still has a couple of months to find one.
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Comments/Questions: Feel free to post in the comments section or email me at gocanucksgo10 (at) hotmail (dot) com.
Technorati Tags: NHL, hockey, Vancouver, Canucks
Labels: Bieksa, Isbister, Krajicek, Miller, Ritchie, Schneider
